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Archives for June 2011

June 26, 1911: Beloved Portland Fire Chief David Campbell Killed in Fire

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David Campbell, Portland Fire Department Chief, was killed at 8:35am on June 26, 1911 while fighting a fire at the Union Oil Company plant at East Water and East Salmon streets (Morning Oregonian, 27-June-2011).

Chief Campbell met death while making courageous efforts to plan the handling of a dangerous fire that had been defying control. He walked cooly into the burning place in search of a possible solution to the grave problem that confronted him and his men. Warned of the risk, he said simply that it was necessary for him to go inside.

Explosion Deals Death

As he passed to the center of the building a fearful explosion wrecked the one-story concrete structure. The Chief was plunged to death in a seething cauldron, amid tons of debris. There was trouble in identifying him when the body was removed three hours later. Accumulation of gases generated in empty oil tanks and exposed to the heat is given as the cause of the fatal explosion.

Chief Campbell was only 47 years old. A progressive leader, Campbell was a force behind the modernization of Portland’s fire department. Well respected by his men and the public alike, his funeral procession drew over 150,000 mourners into downtown Portland. The Campbell Memorial at 18th and West Burnside, dedicated to all Portland firemen killed in the line of duty, is named in his honor.

The Hanging of Danford Balch (28-June-2011)

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The Hanging of Danford BalchThe Hanging of Danford Balch will be presented by historian Doug Kenck-Crispin and artist Jim West on Tuesday, June 28, 2011 at the Jack London Bar – the new bar in the basement of The Rialto (529 SW 4th).

From The Jack London Bar facebook page:

Don’t miss Stumptown Stories on Tuesday, presenting the Hanging of Danford Balch with oregonhistory.com. It will be part historical story-telling, part theatre, with live music by bluegrass band, LeftCoast Country.

This free event starts at 7:30pm.

Doug Kenck-Crispin is a graduate student studying Public History and Pacific Northwest History at PSU. With Andy Lindberg, who is currently working as an actor in New York City, Doug produces the Kick Ass Oregon History podcasts, dedicated to covering just the good stuff: Sex, Drugs, Rock and Roll and Earth Shattering, Devastating Destruction.

Ultimately, our goal is to take Oregon History out of the hallowed halls of the academy, get folks excited and enthused about this shared history, and get them out into the state, digging it and experiencing it. Get them to embrace it, and get their boots muddy in the process. It’s all OUR History; nobody owns it.

Visit ORHistory.com and stay tuned to @Oregon_History on Twitter for further details on the podcasts and events.

4th of July Fireworks in Portland (2011)

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2012 Fireworks Post HERE!

Fireworks!Fort Vancouver

This has traditionally been one of the largest fireworks displays west of the Mississippi River. The show starts at 10:05pm, and can be seen from miles around, but is best seen from the north side of the Columbia. The fireworks show is the climax to a day of festivities at the fort – visit the website for more information, including admission prices and entertainment schedules.

Waterfront Blues Festival

Also starting at 10:05pm, this display at Tom McCall Waterfront Park, is the largest fireworks show in Oregon. Viewable from anyplace around town that has a nice view of downtown. Of course if you’re attending the blues festival, you’ll have a great view.

Oaks Park

Also on the Willamette, the Oaks Park 4th of July Spectacular starts at dusk. Viewable from parts of SE Portland and of course at the park, where if the weather’s nice, you might consider picnicking. Admission for July 4th is $5 ($3 for seniors 62 and up, and $2 for kids 15 and younger). No personal fireworks or alcohol allowed in the park! Ride bracelets valid until midnight, and there will be live music and entertainment throughout the day. Summertime at Oaks Park can be blissful.

Corbett Fun Festival

The Corbett Fun Festival celebrates its 40th year with an annual parade, live music, and of course: Fireworks – around 10pm. The display is one of the largest in the Portland area.

June 25, 1997: Clarity Reading of 142 Feet Recorded at Crater Lake

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Crater LakeA record clarity reading of 142 feet was recorded by scientists at Oregon’s Crater Lake on June 25, 1997.

The deepest lake in the nation is the star of Oregon’s only National Park. It is fed exclusively with melted snow and rain water and is famously clear and blue:

The water is so blue because there is hardly anything else in it – just water. It’s not pure water, but it’s close. We’ve all seen the colors in a rainbow when normal white light passes through a raindrop and breaks into the individual colors of the spectrum. All those colors are in sunlight. The reason different objects appear to be different colors lies in the molecular structure of the chemicals that make up that object. For example, a red shirt appears red because the chemicals in the fabric dye are put together in a way that absorbs all of the colors except red. The red wavelengths then bounce back, hit our retina, and our brain sees “red.” Water molecules, just plain water with no sediments, algae, pesticides or pollution, will absorb all the colors of the spectrum except the blues. Those wavelengths will bounce back and make the water appear blue. The key is to have relatively pure water and lots of it. There has to be enough molecules to absorb all the other colors. (There are 4.6 trillion gallons of water in the lake, so it works really well.)